Matt survives a brutal car crash and staggers into the night with pain, shock, and a sudden, ruthless clarity. Survival brings him no relief, only the realization that he has always been expendable in the Newman world. He understands how easily his death could have been erased and controlled by Victor Newman. That knowledge ignites a desire not just for escape, but for calculated vengeance. Matt resolves to stop begging for power and instead seize what he believes was stolen from him. He imagines a revenge that dismantles the Newman dynasty rather than merely hurting it. As sirens approach, he retreats into the woods, clinging to darkness as protection. His body trembles from shock even as his mind tries to turn chaos into strategy. Matt convinces himself he survived for a reason and that his story is far from over. In his thoughts, Victor Newman becomes not just an enemy, but a symbol that must fall.

The forest grows unnaturally silent, and Matt senses he is no longer alone. A calm, familiar voice emerges from the darkness, instantly filling him with dread. The voice belongs to a man Matt believed he would never encounter again. Panic freezes him as memories of humiliation, control, and fear flood back. He suddenly realizes his wrists are still bound, shattering the illusion of freedom. His struggle against the restraints only deepens his helplessness. A composed silhouette steps into the moonlight, radiating confidence and menace. Matt recognizes the posture and cold authority of someone who has never needed mercy. The man reminds Matt of past betrayals and debts that were never forgiven. In that moment, Matt understands he has been captured not by chance, but by design.

The man reveals he has not come to kill Matt, but to offer him an opportunity. He explains that Matt’s survival makes him the perfect scapegoat in a war against the Newmans. Victor Newman, he says, has remained untouchable because everyone plays by Victor’s rules. True victory would require moving the battle outside Victor’s control. Newman Enterprises itself becomes the real target, not just Victor’s reputation. The idea both terrifies and seduces Matt, promising annihilation rather than revenge. Matt questions why he is being used instead of the man himself. The answer is brutal honesty, because Matt is disposable and therefore useful. As the plan unfolds, Matt begins to suspect Jack Abbott’s hidden involvement. The realization that Jack may abandon his moral image to destroy Victor chills him deeply.

The man frees Matt’s hands, reminding him that even gifted freedom can be another form of control. Matt is offered a choice between remaining hunted prey or becoming an uncontrollable weapon. He is instructed to disappear, let the Newmans believe they are winning, and act as bait. His role will be to draw Victor’s attention and lure Jack Abbott into the open. Matt recognizes that accepting means embracing darkness equal to Victor’s own. He understands this plan could dismantle not only the Newmans but Genoa City’s illusions of power. Sirens in the distance remind him that time and consequences are closing in. Matt accepts that the conspiracy existed long before his crash and will continue with or without him. Choosing strategy over survival, he agrees to become a ghost and a distraction. With that decision, Matt steps into a war that could end in betrayal, a stolen empire, and irreversible destruction.